# Meer coloring photos!



## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

I am not able to put up pics right now. i know we have a photo's of your pipes thread but i was thinking maybe a show how your meer is coloring up thread.

Let's see them!


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)




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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

i have another meer but it is a peterson african meer from 1975 and it doesn't seem to want to change color!


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## Z.Kramer (Jul 2, 2009)

How old is that one in the photo, and about how often do you smoke it?


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

its like 2 years old and i had only smoked it off and on. but here lately i have been smoking pretty steady in it.


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## Z.Kramer (Jul 2, 2009)

cp478 said:


> its like 2 years old and i had only smoked it off and on. but here lately i have been smoking pretty steady in it.


Well it is coloring quite nicely. I was interested in seeing how meers color over time. I think this thread is a good idea.


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

Thank you!


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)




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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

the pete is nice and small huh?


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## Mister Entertainer (Oct 7, 2009)

Those are absolutely beautiful! I am now convinced that I want a meer. Very nice! :faint:


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## RobustBrad (Oct 20, 2009)

Very nice fellas. I'm actually in the market for a solid pipe (good looking of course).

Could you throw out any suggestions that might be reasonable in price?

Cheers,
Brad


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

Come on now, i showed you mine. now show me yours!


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## IrishCamel81 (Jan 26, 2009)

I only have 10 months on my Ik Meer, but I will send a pic when I get home.


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

Nobody?
Really!


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## Savvy (Jun 23, 2007)

I've only had mine for a few months. But it still refuses to color haha. Maybe I'll take another one in a year or so to show progression, or lack thereof.


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

thats a nice pipe there! be interesting to watch you coloration or lack thereof.


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

Am i one of the only people interested in this?


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## StufnPuf (Oct 8, 2009)

No I am but it seems there aren't many Meerophiles haha


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

Well, there's those of us who are interested but haven't acquired a meer yet. And those of us who have a meer but don't have a camera. I wouldn't say there's no interest, though such discussions are certainly bad for my budget...


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## RJpuffs (Jan 27, 2008)

cp478 said:


> Am i one of the only people interested in this?


The problem is that it takes soooooo looooooong for a meer to color, we'd become doddering old men before we could post the "after" picture. Oops, too late, I'm already old and doddering :dizzy:


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

RJpuffs said:


> The problem is that it takes soooooo looooooong for a meer to color, we'd become doddering old men before we could post the "after" picture. Oops, too late, I'm already old and doddering :dizzy:


You're in good company. Drool much?


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

Hahahaha!


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## RJpuffs (Jan 27, 2008)

Mister Moo said:


> You're in good company. Drool much?


Only when driving past the beach in swimsuit season :shocked:


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

haha!


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

Any updates?


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## MarkC (Jul 4, 2009)

I was disappointed in how long it's taking my meer to color; the stem is nicely turning, and of course the top of the bowl, but that's about it as far as serious color. Then I looked it up and realized I've only had it for three months. Rather than disappointed, I'm impressed!


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

Well Mark , mine has no more color than before.
I let it rest for a couple months. Now I am hitting it hard and heavy. 
I plan to get color results or make my tongue fall off!


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## mbearer (Jun 2, 2010)

Well, I don't have MUCH to post but I will send a couple up  All mine is doing so far is bringing the darker wax into the bowl and getting lighter (Just like Deniz said it would) 

Here are some shots of when I got my basket pipe VS now with 1 month on it... I smoke this one ALOT more then I do the HUGE dragon one which is barely showing signs of lightning in small areas...

I can't wait to see it change more  and MAN I love smoking this one...


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## SammyBirdland (Aug 23, 2010)

Does coloring increase the value of estate meers? I know it does for me, just curious if the rest of the market would agree with me.


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## Siv (Jul 26, 2010)

I have too many Meers for them to colour at any decent rate. I think the best colour is on one that was gifted to me - it's a Pete rock looking Meer, the same as Chrlie posted.

I have seen some Meers that are a dark chocolate brown - I'm sure many would pay a lot more than normal for a pipe that looks like that.

In the old days, there was a lot of prestige attached to the colour of a Meer - the darker the better. Gentlemen would buy meers from a store and the store would keep it for a few weeks and have it smoked constantly to colour before given to the owner!

eBay has a number of meers that show great colouring - this, this and this.


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## d_day (Aug 24, 2008)

I don't have a meer of my own yet. I will probably pick one up tomorrow though, since I'm stopping by Tobacco Barn on my way to San Diego. I'm going to do my best to smoke a couple of bowls out of it every day. I'll try to post a pic at least once a week.


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## Do5ug (Mar 29, 2010)

When comparing an antique meer's coloring to the coloring that comes only through smoking it - there are other factors to consider.

Much of the color from the antiques came from extraneous smoke!

These pipes were often situated above the hearth, and as most dwellings were heated by fireplace, the ambient smoke and heat generated by the fireplace contributed to the nice reddish-amber coloring. 

Outside in - not necessarily inside-out.

Thoughts?


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

I have also heard that some smokers of old would have servants smoke the pipes endlessly!


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## Siv (Jul 26, 2010)

Do5ug said:


> When comparing an antique meer's coloring to the coloring that comes only through smoking it - there are other factors to consider.
> 
> Much of the color from the antiques came from extraneous smoke!
> 
> ...


I don't think that really is the case. Meerschaum is a porous stone that is coated in wax when made into a pipe. The bowl and draw channel is left unwaxed so the only way for smoke to penetrate the block is from the inside of the pipe. The exact colouring mechanism is not well understood but is thought to be through the smoke penetrating the block and stopping at the wax where it accumulates.

It's thought that cool smoke colours better - this is why the shank colours first. 









You can buy "colouring bowls" that you place above your bowl so that all the smoke than comes into the pipe is cooler and you get a more even colouring.

The real truth is that the colouring mechanism of a Meerschaum is not really known - there are a number of theories but nothing that is definite!


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## d_day (Aug 24, 2008)

d_day said:


> I don't have a meer of my own yet. I will probably pick one up tomorrow though, since I'm stopping by Tobacco Barn on my way to San Diego. I'm going to do my best to smoke a couple of bowls out of it every day. I'll try to post a pic at least once a week.


Well, this didn't exactly happen. It was supposed to be a great day. First I was going to stop in at Tobacco Barn. Next, I was going to spend some time at the beach in San Clemente, with my camera. Then, I was to be off to pick up a lady friend and head down to San Diego for a nice dinner next the bay. About 30 miles out from home, I got a yellow light on my dash, and noticed my temp needle was firmly in the red. I get off the freeway and open the hood. There is no water in the reservoir. On the plus side, it looks like it's just the water pump. That means a much less costly repair. So, no meer, no beach, no lady friend, no nice dinner, and for the time being, no car. Ack.


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## cp478 (Oct 23, 2008)

Good luck brother!


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

Siv said:


> The real truth is that the colouring mechanism of a Meerschaum is not really known - there are a number of theories but nothing that is definite!


True indeed. The nice thing about meers for me is that they simply smoke better than any other pipe material. The coloring process is nice but I don't worry about it overmuch. They'll color when they color and in the meantime they smoke perfectly!


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## d_day (Aug 24, 2008)

Since my trip to Tobacco Barn was cancelled, I went ahead and got online to order. I have a nice meer coming, and broke down and got one of the carve your own kits as well. No idea how I want to carve it, but I will document and photograph the process in another thread.


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